


Promise

by Paendeo



Category: ATEEZ (Band)
Genre: Familiars, I'm Bad At Tagging, Jongho is a pain, M/M, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, The prologue is a little creepy, Witches, Wooyoung doesn't want a Familiar, Wooyoung is a witch, Wooyoung is done with him, Yeosang is a Familiar, mostly in Wooyoung's POV
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-18
Updated: 2021-02-26
Packaged: 2021-03-13 18:22:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,531
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29530512
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Paendeo/pseuds/Paendeo
Summary: Wooyoung doesn't need a Familiar.
Relationships: Jung Wooyoung/Kang Yeosang
Kudos: 28





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> This is a bit of an experiment for myself, so please feel free to give any feedback! =D 
> 
> It is a series and at this stage I'm not sure what my uploading schedule will be but I hope to upload frequently!! 
> 
> The prologue is told from the perspective of the antagonist =)

_He may have been aging, but he had never felt more alive, more free, than at that very moment. He felt the life surge through him as it faded and drained out of the eyes of the thing before him. Human, it was not - it didn’t deserve to be referred to as anything more than a tool. He hated them with a burning passion - the same burning passion that bubbled over and around him until the thing slumped, no more undeserved life left._

_A piercing, curdling noise erupted from the other side of the room. He couldn’t call it a measly scream, it was more than that. It was the sound of someone’s soul being ripped apart, of someone’s life force being shredded into pieces. He expected the sound. They were in pain now, but they would learn. They would come to discover that they didn’t need the thing. Their power would be enough._

_He would make them see._


	2. Chapter One

Wooyoung liked to think he was a decent enough Witch. Above average, for sure. Okay, so his little shop on the quiet end of a quaint street wasn’t bustling, it wasn’t like Hongjoong’s Emporium on the other side of town, but it did alright. He stayed in business, at least. His shop got it’s fair share of orders to keep Wooyoung busy. And sure, some customers were shocked, a little trepidatious, to learn that he didn’t have a Familiar, but it wasn’t like it was against the law to operate as a Witch without one. And if he didn’t see those customers again, well, that was their loss, as far as Wooyoung was concerned.

He knew his magical limits. He didn’t need a Familiar. 

“You need a Familiar.” The melodic voice of his assistant, Jongho, broke the silence. 

It also broke Wooyoung’s concentration, and he accidentally poured too much wattlegrass oil into the jar. The concoction, supposed to be a bright, marigold yellow, turned to brown sludge as he lost control of his magic. He straightened, sighing. His shop might have been doing okay but he really couldn’t afford to suffer the loss of wasted supplies. 

“See, that wouldn’t have happened if you had a Familiar.” 

He turned to glare at the boy sitting casually on one of his cabinets. They were in Wooyoung’s workshop, located just behind the customer-friendly front of the store. Behind his workshop was his office, though he barely spent any time in there. 

“It wouldn’t have happened if you didn’t speak.” He snapped. 

Jongho merely shrugged, a bored expression on his face. 

“Don’t you have tasks to do?” Wooyoung said, moving to the third shelving unit on the northern wall to grab another mixing jar. He distinctly remembered giving Jongho a list that morning, of cleaning and restocking tasks. 

“Plus you could do with the company.” Jongho said, as if Wooyoung hadn’t said anything. “I know you didn’t go on that date that Yunho hyung set you up on last week.” 

“Ignoring the fact that you’re very wrong about my current levels of loneliness,” Wooyoung said, carefully pouring rose petal extract into the new jar. "You can’t just wander out and get a Familiar, Jongho."

The idea was almost laughable. If one could just get a Familiar, he was sure there would be some sort of horrible, inhumane industry built around it, where one would have to _buy_ their Familiar. Wooyoung shuddered at the thought. Familiars, while they may have an animal form, were not pets. They were powerful magical beings. 

“Wandering out would at least give you a better chance at getting one. You think one is just going to walk in from the street? We barely have customers do that.” 

Wooyoung put down his vial of Egyptian sea salt, sensing that his temper was going to keep rising - the stuff was a pain to ship and he wasn’t planning on losing any when Jongho inevitably kept pestering him. 

“Jongho.” He said through his teeth, a fake smile pulling at the sides of his face as he turned to the boy. “Go do some work. Please.” 

Jongho, being Jongho, stared back at Wooyoung, unbothered. 

“Well if you’re not going to get a Familiar, at least go on a date. You’re going to turn into a batty old cat man…minus the cat, because you won’t get a Familiar.” 

Wooyoung reached behind him blindly until he found the pestle for his mortar. Jongho at least had the sense to realise that it was about to be thrown in the direction of his skull, because he jumped off the cabinet, racing to the front of the shop. 

Wooyoung forcibly relaxed his muscles. 

It wasn’t as if he had an issue with Familiars - he understood how useful they were. He had seen the extreme feats of magic Hongjoong could perform with Seonghwa by his side. The man was almost unstoppable. Yunho, while not as powerful as Hongjoong, was still able to refine his magic to expert level with the help of San. 

But he also knew what happened when a bond between a Witch and their Familiar was severed. The thought made him shudder.

Okay, so maybe he did have an issue with Familiars. 

But not other people’s Familiars. 

Just the idea of one.

For himself. 

“Customer!!” Jongho wailed from the front of the store. 

Wooyoung cringed as he ruined yet another batch of luck potion. He wasn’t sure why Jongho couldn’t just serve the customer himself, he did work there as well. 

“You made me ruin another batch, stop yelling.” He whispered as he walked past. 

“Wouldn’t have happened if you had a Famiiiiliarrr” Jongho replied, and Wooyoung, for once, was annoyed by the presence of a customer, for it meant he couldn’t kill his employee. 

He took a deep breath and forced a smile on his face. 

“Welcome to Wooyoung’s Witchery, how may I help-” his voice died off into an awkward hiccup as he looked at the customer. 

A man stared blankly back at him. He looked young - around the same age as Wooyoung - with soft, white-blonde hair falling either side of his forehead. It was long at the back, curling at his nape delicately. He looked to be around the same height as Wooyoung, even though they stood a metre apart. His face looked like it was made of porcelain, features near perfect, proportionally aligned. His eyes were soulless - empty dark orbs that glittered like the sun reflecting on ice. 

Wooyoung couldn’t speak. His mouth gaped. 

The man was stunning. “Okay, change of priorities.” Jongho said. “We need to get you laid first.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> twitter.com/paendeoPD (account is new as of 18/02/2021 so don't be alarmed when there's no followers =D )
> 
> If you liked the chapter please feel free to leave Kudos/Comments!!! <3


	3. Chapter Two

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am slowly trying to add more about witch magic and the 'world' in this chapter, which will probably be a little confusing but hopefully it makes sense, or will make sense later on ><
> 
> It's un-beta'd but hopefully there's no glaringly bad mistakes.

The problem with Familiars, Wooyoung found, was that one didn’t really know they were in the presence of a Familiar until it was too late. This meant he had become irrationally suspicious of cats. 

Just like the one following him. 

“Who says it’s following you? It might be following me.” Jongho pointed out. 

“But if it’s following you, that means it’s a normal cat, and therefore it doesn’t present a problem.” He glanced another look at it. “But I don’t think it’s normal.” 

Jongho rolled his eyes.

“Enough about the cat. Are we going to talk about how starved for romantic company you are that you literally froze like you were having a stroke in front of that customer?”

Wooyoung felt his face heat up. 

“No. And if you ever mention it again, I’m going to spike your next meal with toadskin powder.” While the powder wouldn’t have any lasting effects, it would at least make Jongho’s taste buds turn sour for days. 

“Oh, come on.” Jongho said, his mouth quirking. Wooyoung could tell he was trying not to laugh. “It was hilarious!” 

“It was _not_ hilarious!” What was so hilarious about hiccuping every time he opened his mouth to speak? 

“It was!” Jongho gave up holding onto his laughter.

“Shut up or I’ll fire you.” His face was so hot that he could feel the heat as he fanned himself, despite the late fall weather. 

Wooyoung hadn’t been able to get the stranger out of his head. He had taken up residence along the edges of his mind. The way he had looked at Wooyoung, it made him feel as if he was reading his soul, and the whole experience had left him shaken. Yes, he wasn’t doing the best in the romance department - he couldn’t actually remember the last time he went on a date - but that wasn’t why he couldn’t stop thinking about the young man. At least, he didn’t think it was, anyway. 

He kept telling himself that it was probably just leftover embarrassment from the whole encounter. 

Jongho, as expected, was extremely unhelpful. He had spent what seemed like an eternity watching Wooyoung struggle as he attempted to speak to the customer, his giggling getting louder and louder at every hiccup that came out of his mouth, until he finally stepped in, pushing Wooyoung out the back. 

Maybe he would put the toadskin powder in his lunch anyway. 

They had reached the corner of the quaint street, where Wooyoung would turn left and Jongho would turn right. He looked behind him and his mood soured even more, if that was possible. There it was, in the middle of the footpath, the perfectly white cat, strutting gracefully behind them. In the same direction. 

“It is following me!” Wooyoung said. 

“So?” Jongho sighed, the last of his laughter dying off as he wiped at his eyes. “You need one anyway.” 

“I don’t need one! We’re not having this conversation again!” 

“It could still be following me, you know.” 

“Well I guess we’re about to find out, aren’t we?” Wooyoung said. 

“Suppose so. See you tomorrow, boss man!” Jongho said, punching Wooyoung in the arm. 

It was supposed to be a friendly gesture, yet Jongho, as usual, forgot his strength, and Wooyoung stumbled a few steps, rubbing the already forming bruise. 

He glared at the cat, who had stopped five metres behind him, waiting for him to move. Him, not Jongho. 

“Don’t follow me.” He said, pointing at it. He was acutely aware that he was in public and likely looked insane, speaking to what might just be a cat. “I don’t want you.” 

He glared one more time, then turned, walking away. At the next block, he turned back, expecting the cat to be the same distance behind him, but instead it was at the corner. Staring at him. Not moving. 

* * * * * * * *

_He dreamed of cat eyes. Giant, piercing, cold eyes that bore into his soul, chilling him from the inside out. Constant, shattering screams could be heard from the shadows all around him, and he spun in circles trying to block it, trying to run away from the eyes. His blood pounded through his veins, pressure so high that he thought it might split through his skin and pour over his body. He spun and spun, the eyes piercing him, until he lost his balance and fell._

_His blood settled and calmed as he landed on something unexpectedly soft. He ran his fingers through it, marveling at the whiteness. His body started to relax against the surface, bones melting._

_Until the softness started to move. He sat up as a head turned in his direction, and the same eyes pierced him again as his blood began to burn him from the inside out. He scratched and scraped at his skin but nothing stopped it. The cat’s eyes pulled him in until he felt like his soul was being ripped from his body._

_He jolted awake, a cut off scream threatening to spill from his mouth as sweat poured from every inch of him._

_Just a dream._

He looked at the clock on his bedside table. 3.57am. His body thrummed with adrenaline and he knew he wasn’t going to get back to sleep anytime soon. He sighed. It was going to be a long day. 

_At least it’s Friday_ , he thought. 

  
* * * * * * * * 

The Wonderland Bar stood at almost exactly even distances from Wooyoung’s Witchery, Hongjoong’s Emporium and Yunho’s Teahouse, meaning the seven of them could meet easily every Friday night after work. It was lively, often almost packed on Fridays and Saturdays, but the booths around the edges of the venue gave them enough privacy and let them all hold a conversation without having to scream over the noise. 

“Hongjoong and Seonghwa are going to be late” Yunho announced as the two of them sat down in their regular booth. “Government stuff again.” 

“Which Department this time?” Jongho asked. 

“Crimes.” Mingi said with a grimace.

And there was another reason Wooyoung wasn’t interested in getting a Familiar. The three different witch related government departments - the Department of Magical Welfare, Department of Magical Crimes and Department of Magical Affairs - had a habit of expecting help from those who didn’t work for them. It wasn’t help that one could easily say no to, either. Hongjoong was arguably one of the most powerful witches in Seoul, rare in that he was proficient both in his Dominant Spell magic and his Minor Portal magic. Combined with a powerful Familiar like Seonghwa by his side, they were called on frequently. It was lucky they had Mingi working at the Emporium otherwise the business would have suffered. Yunho wasn’t called on nearly as much, being someone who specialised in the relatively common magic of Kitchen magic, but it wasn’t unheard of. 

But the Government was only interested in help from those with a Familiar. Those without were often snubbed, referred to as 'unbonded' and sneered at. Wooyoung had absolutely no problem with that. 

“While we wait, do you want to hear a funny story?” Jongho said excitedly. 

Wooyoung slapped his hand over Jongho’s mouth. 

“No.” 

“Btwhhygn!” 

He leaned in, looking directly in his eyes. 

“No.” 

“Okay, if there’s no story,” Yunho said, leaning forward. “Then why don’t you tell me why you bailed on that date with Yeonjun-ssi?” 

Wooyoung paused, considering carefully. Funny Story vs Age Old Argument About Wooyoung’s Love Life. 

“I don’t want to go on blind dates, Yunho.” He answered. He had no doubt Jongho would twist Funny Story into the Age Old Argument About Wooyoung’s Love Life anyway, so he may as well save himself the embarrassment of that conversation.

“Yeonjun-ssi is so nice though!” San replied. 

“I don’t care! I don’t want to go on dates!” 

“Speaking of -” Jongho started. 

“No!” Wooyoung replied, before sighing heavily. “I need a drink.”

He got up to go to the bar, glaring at Jongho as he opened his mouth once again. 

“Don’t say a thing!” he warned. 

He turned away and didn't see the other person until it was too late. He barrelled straight into them, the motion sent him rebounding in the opposite direction until the other person’s slim arm wrapped around his waist, pulling him back. The contact spread warmth into every nerve of his body. He looked into the face of the person holding him, taking in their pale, smooth face and ice cold eyes. 

His mouth automatically opened to say something, a sorry, or a thank you, but the only sound that came from his mouth was - 

One…

Loud…

Hiccup. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm still new at posting fics (and honestly it kinda makes me feel sick XD) but I will do my best to upload this once a week ><
> 
> I have a CC now!  
> curiouscat.qa/PaendeoPD
> 
> Twt: https://twitter.com/PaendeoPD


End file.
